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Sunday, April 12, 2009

Raw Silk Sets Course Record Winning South Beach

Darley Stable’s 4-year-old filly Raw Silk returned from a four-month layoff to post a wire-to-wire victory under jockey Paco Lopez in the $50,000 South Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park Saturday, setting a course record of 1:27:28 for 7 ½ furlongs on ‘firm’ turf and giving trainer Tom Albertrani a sixth stakes victory at the meet.

A daughter of Malibu Moon, Raw Silk was making her first start since finishing eighth in the Mrs. Revere Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 8, broke on top from the inside post and set fast fractions, but had plenty left to turn back a challenge in the stretch by Farnsworth Farm’s 5-year-old mare Flibberjibbit, the 9-5 favorite, by 1¾ lengths.

Jedbugh Stud’s French-bred All Is Vanity finished third, another half-length back in the field of 11 fillies and mares. Raw Silk paid $8.80 to win.

Winning Jockey Quote

Paco Lopez:

“We broke a little slow. She recovered by herself – I didn’t have to do anything – to put herself in position, and once we came around (the turn) and took the lead, I felt good. It wasn’t a difficult ride. She came to run this afternoon.

Winning Trainer Quote

Tom Albertrani:

“She ran huge today. She got a little light (weight) on us last fall so we gave her plenty of time off. She trained good coming back and had run well fresh before. We knew we were the speed in there, but she was just cruising over that firm ground and had plenty left to finish. This was about her perfect distance, 7½ to a mile. She’ll go back to New York now.”